Too Close
by Jaal Ama Darav
Summary: 'Exaltation' promptfic What If- what if Sakura had arrived with a team in time to save Jaal?


**Too Close**

**A/N- 1,000 words or less prompt fic. The prompt was 'Just in Time.'**

* * *

Sakura Ryder ran down the green halls of the Kett Exaltation facility. Black hair messy, blue eyes misty, sweat on her chocolate brown skin, and wearing her blue and white Angaran-designed armor.

Ahead of her was former Justicar Matriarch Tesuna, dressed in her Asari armor she had kept from the Milky Way, leading the spear-point.

To Tesuna's left was Sakura's Human squad member Cora Harper. To the former Justicar's right was Sakura's Asari squad member, Peebee.

Together, the three were a biotic 'wall' of destruction which plowed through any Kett who attempted to stop them.

Behind to Sakura's left was Bain Massani in his black and dark gray armor. And to Bain's right was the Salarian, Taelin Uji, in his dark green Salarian STG armor inclusive of a helmet.

Sakura's memories trailed back to the reason they were running through these halls.

Weeks ago, a mission went horribly wrong, and Jaal was taken from her by the Kett. Weeks spent searching, and leads pointed straight here.

Her memories went over the times with Jaal- the waterfall on Aya, visits to his family on Havarl. his warm smile, soft blue eyes, exuberant laughter, gentle touch, everything she loved about him. And the thought of everything he was being snuffed out and replaced by a Kett, his soul forever lost, brought tears which ran down her face.

SAM intoned, snapping Sakura back into focus. "Not much further, team."

The door ahead opened, and Tesuna came to a skidding halt inside the room, the others following suit.

SAM was heard. "Decontamination in progress." SAM appeared to have frozen right when Sakura did.

The Kett Cardinal in charge of this place of horrors was floating in the air, and the pod had opened.

Sakura recognized the Angara floating helplessly in midair by the scar on his neck flap, gasped and placed a hand on the window. "It's Jaal!"

Tesuna's biotics flared. "Cora, barrier now!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Cora quickly put up a biotic barrier, the others except Tesuna took cover behind it.

The Asari Justicar stood alone, facing the window and powered up her biotics. Blue-white energy rippled, growing brighter and larger.

Sakura heard Jaal cry out, his voice full of terror. "No!"

Sakura's heart clenched, her breathing quickened. "Tesuna! Hurry!" She saw the Ascendant unfold his arms, a syringe in each hand. Jaal's arms unfolded as well.

Jaal's voice was pleading and full of terror. "Sakura!" A pause, his voice now shaking with unbridled fear. "Please! Sakura! Help!"

Tesuna pulled her hands back. "By the will of the Goddess-!" She thrust forward. "Yield!" A massive energy wave smashed into the glass, and for a terrifying moment it appeared the glass wouldn't break. But shatter it did, sending shards of glass from the nigh unbreakable window flying across the room.

Wasting no time, Sakura rushed through the hole in the window with Cora and Peebee right on her heels before the wisps of energy from Tesuna's attack had even faded. Her biotic aura glowed bright. "Jaal! I'm coming!" Hand outstretched and glowing with biotic energy, she immediately ensnared the Ascendant mid-syringe swing.

Cora was beside her, same pose and the energy surrounding the Ascendant grew brighter. "Get Jaal, I'll handle this bastard." She ripped the Kett away into a wall and the Kett lost his grip on the syringes.

Jaal hung momentarily in midair and fell.

Sakura leaped into the air, biotic aura alight, and caught Jaal. "I've got you." She landed softly.

"Hang on!" Peebee quickly moved nearby glass shards with her biotics, tossing them to a safe distance away. Swiftly, she put up a biotic barrier, protecting herself, Sakura, and Jaal.

Sakura laid the Angara on the floor, and helped him sit upright, one arm around his shoulders and other hand taking one of his hands into hers. "You're safe. I'm here." She could feel even through her gloved hands how much he was shaking.

"Sakura?" Jaal looked at Sakura, fear on his face and tears in his eyes, he drew a deep shaky breath. "D-darling one...I-I thought...I would never see you again."

Sakura's voice choked up. "S-same here." She released his hand and hugged him tightly, tears running down her face. Even through her sobs wracking her body, she could feel Jaal was doing the same.

What felt like minutes later, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked to see who it was.

Bain Massani was on one knee. "We need to go, Hikaru is ready to extract us and the rescue units should be-." A distant explosion and blaring alarms, which were silenced moments later. "That had to be the Krogan, and Comibia's work. Which means things are going to heat up, we should get going."

Sakura nodded, Jaal released his embrace to look at her. Sakura wiped the tears from his face. "We're getting you out of here." She helped Jaal stand up, one arm wrapped around her shoulder.

Moments later, with Jaal wrapped in a green warming cloak Taelin found in a crate within the room, the team headed out of the room towards the elevators leading to the upper floor landing pads.

* * *

**A/N-**

**Wanted to do this promptfic, was thinking- what if in the 'Exaltation' promptfic, Sakura Ryder arrived just in time with a team to save Jaal? **

**And that window in the decontamination room is seriously strong stuff. According to the scanner, the 'Kett exhaust vents' have a mpa of 1,500 and it says that the vents should be easily shattered by gunfire, or biotics if one wishes to do so. The 'Kett decontamination room window'? 38,000 mpa, and it says that the window appears impenetrable. That sounds like it would take a lot of biotic energy to shatter it...**


End file.
